Iran rules out ceasefire talks while fighting continues

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said an operation took place overnight in which dozens of fighter jets launched more than 170 attacks against air defense and missile sites in Tehran, Isfahan, and Shiraz. The same day, Iran launched a wave of ballistic missiles toward Israel. Israeli authorities said most of the missiles were intercepted, but some caused serious damage, leaving at least 1 person dead and many others injured.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had carried out retaliatory strikes as part of what it called “Operation True Promise 4”, targeting US and Israeli installations. The IRGC claimed it fired multiple missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles at a US helicopter base in Al-Adiri, Kuwait, and targeted 5 other strategic US bases in the Middle East, including the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Monday that Tehran has no intention of pursuing a ceasefire, adding that Iran will continue its self-defense and retaliation.

Iranian officials also said all legal procedures and necessary formalities had been completed in appointing the country’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.

In a statement on Monday, President Trump called the reported selection by Shiite clerics of Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Ali Khamenei, as his successor “a huge mistake”, adding that Iran’s supreme leader “is not going to last long”.

Trump said the military campaign in Iran is nearing its end and Washington is very far ahead of his initial timeline. He mentioned the possibility of the US taking control of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes.

Several countries, including India, the UK, and Japan, on Monday called on all parties involved to exercise restraint and pursue dialogue and diplomacy to prevent a catastrophic impact on the global economy and energy security.